𝐈𝐕𝐘 𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐃 || 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐤

☰15- NADA EN LA VIDA ES GRATIS

   We drove into High Town and to a big house that had guards at the gate. She seemed to be living a good life, but what good was any of this if she didn't have any family. Though it made me question how she had so much money and well, respect.
   We followed her and saw that she lived richer than what the outside cared to show.

   "Looks like breaking all those laws is treating you well." Sam says as we take in all the tech.

   "I thought if I had to hustle, I might as well enjoy the life of a real hustler." She jokes. "You know how much I can get for a real Monet?"

   "Deactivate your hustle mode." Sam says. "You sell fake Monets."

   "No. She means real." I say.

   "This gallery specializes in stolen artwork. Monet. Van Gogh. Classic."

   I smiled. "Vous savez que la moitié des œuvres d'art dans des musées comme le Louvre sont fausses." He looks at me confused.

   "Real stuff sits in places like this." Bucky adds.

   "Okay, guys, I see what you're doing. You're more worldly than good old Sam." He pulls out his phone.

   "Yeah, what's google, say?" Bucky asks.

   "No shit." Sam looks at us.

   I walk backwards, my hands in my pockets as I shrug.

   "Come on, you guys need to change. I'm hosting clients in an hour."

   We followed her upstairs to a more livable area. She offered to give me clothes but I opened a portal and stepped into it picking out a decent outfit for the thing she was hosting.

   I teleport next to Bucky and smile. "Nice enough right?"

   He barely looks at me. "Sure."

   My phone buzzes and I look to see it's Morgan. I walk away to answer it.

   "Mongoose."

   "Hi, you didn't text me all day!"

   "I can't talk tonight, squirt." I say. "I'm really sorry."

   "It's okay." She says but sounds slightly disappointed. "Mommy and I just wanted to say good night."

   "Good night, Morgan. I love you."

   "Night, Mel. I love you too."

   "Mel, please get some sleep tonight." Pepper says. And I smile. "Really."

   "I will, Pep." I say. "Bye. I'll call you when I can."

   I hang up and turn off my phone, slipping it in my pocket. Soon Sharon comes into the room and throws a flirt at Sam.

   "What's going on, Sharon?" Sam asks as he picks out a shirt. "You don't ever wanna come back home?"

   "They'll lock me up if I ever step foot back in the States." She says. "Madripoor doesn't allow extradition."

   "Look I'm sorry I didn't call, but after The Blip and the chaos, I just—"

   "Look, you know the whole hero thing is a joke, right?" She says, I look over at her. "I mean the way you just gave up that shield, deep down you must know it's all hypocrisy."

   "He knows." Zemo says. "And not so deep down."

   "By the way, how is the new Cap?" Sharon asks.

   "I swear he has problems." I say.

   "Don't get me started." Bucky says.

   "Oh please. You buy into all that stars and stripes bullshit." She walks over, sitting next to us. "Before you were his pet psychopath you were Mr. America! Cap's best friend." She laughs.

   "Wow. She's kind of awful now." Bucky tells Sam.

   "Karli Morgenthau and at least seven others have taken the serum." Sam tells Sharon.

   "You guys really should steer clear of all of this for your own safety." She tells us.

   "We know it's a risk, but we're not gonna leave til we find the person who cracked the code." Sam says.

   "We have a name." I say and she looks at me. "Wilfred Nagel."

   "Nagel works for the Power Broker." She gets up and walks over to get a drink.

   "We need your help, Sharon. I can get your name cleared." Sam says.

   "You, haggling with my life?" She asks

   "Not like that."

   "I don't buy that." She sits. "You pretending like you can clear my name."

   "Okay, maybe it is a hypocrisy. Maybe you're right. What happened to you. But I'm willing to try if you are." He walks over to her. "They cleared the bionic staring machine and he killed almost everybody he's met."

   "I heard that."

   "I don't trust charity." Sharon says.

   "Good." I say and they all look at me. "What? Come on, you've never heard the saying. Nada en la vida es gratis?" More confused looks. "Nothing in life is free."

   "All right, a deal then." Sam crossed his arms. "You help us out and I get your name cleared."

   She hesitated but took his hand and exhaled, finishing the rest of her drink. "Well, I sell to some pretty connected people. Lay low, blend in, enjoy the party. Try to stay out of trouble. I'll see what I can find."

   "Trouble." Zemo smiled.

↠ ↠ ↠

   We had gone up and most of the guests that she had coming had arrived. There was music playing and people danced with drinks in their hands while also looking around. Sam, Bucky, Zemo and I stayed together for most of the party.
   They went over to the bar to get drinks and I also got a fruity drink but Sam stopped me from drinking it.

   "Hey." I say.

   "You're 17." He says. "Acting all grown."

   "Sam, a small drink won't kill me." I said and he glared at me. "Fine, I won't drink, I just wanted a taste anyway."

   I walked away and then they followed me. A lot of people were dancing around us and I realized this was the first party I have been to since Liz's party.

   "Hey, cutie." A guy pulled me over to him and his friends. He had dark curls and was wearing a suit, he also had a thick accent. "You're looking a little lost there. Why don't you stay and dance with me?"

   Blend in. "No, thank you." I smile as I try to pull my hand away from him.

   "Come on, princess—"

   "She's 17." Bucky stepped in.

   "So? Not like it's illegal."

   "Neither is killing anyone." He says and the guy lets go of me. Bucky nudged me to start moving and I did. "I thought you had a boyfriend?"

   "He's not my boyfriend." I told him and sigh. "Why does that matter anyway? You saved me Buck, my hero. I owe you my life."

   He glares at me. "Shut up and don't do anything."

   "This party blows." I follow him. "I can't drink, or dance with guys twice my age, I can't smoke—"

   "You wannna do all that?"

   I crossed my arms. "No, but I would like to be given the option without you two getting in the way to tell me no."

   "You're underage."

   "Boo hoo, it's not illegal here." I paused. "If I wanted to do it."

   "You're fighting pretty hard."

   "I won't be able to sneak into clubs, get some underage drink, or flirt with someone creepily older than me."

   They rolled their eyes as I smiled playfully because it was fun to argue when it didn't really mean anything.